Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 659,226. Patented. Oct. 9, I900. I. L. "HARRIS.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

. (Application filed Apr. 7, 1900. (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheei L F/c.1. F/QZ.

/'N VE N 70/? A TTOHNFY u. 0 c. THE uomus PETERS o0, PHOTO-LITHQ. wmmsvo No. 659,226. Patented Oct. 9, I900.

' l. L. HARRIS.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. (Application filed Aim 1, 1900.) (lilo Model.) 2 Sheets-Shoat 2.

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FLVF @dW fwd. M J47 6? By 7. $444M ATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC LEONARD HARRIS, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

ACETYLEN E-GAS (3 EN E'RATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,226, dated October 9, 1900;

Serial No. 11,982. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown thatl, IsAAc LEONARD HARRIS, l a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for generating illuminating-gas from the reaction of calcium carbid and water; and the object of my invention is to bring the two compounds referred to into contact in such a manner as will produce the most effective results, and particularly in the amount or volume of gas generated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. 4 is an enlarged drawing of the valve for feeding the carbid into the Water. Fig. 5 is an enlarged drawing of the gas-valve when open, controlling the pipe leading from the generator-tank to the gasometer. Fig. 6 is an enlarged drawing of the same valve when closed. Fig. 7 is an enlarged drawing of the front view of the valve 33 and the pin 19*. Fig. 8' is another view thereof at right angles to Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a plan of same. Fig. 10 is a separate view of the valve 33, showing pin 19; and Fig. 11 is another view of the swivel-joint 14.

Similar figures refer to similar parts in the several views.

1 is the gasometer, havinga hell 2, with an opening through the middle circumscribed by a tube 3.

4 is the calcium-carbid chamber, standing erect in the middle of the bell of the gasometer in the opening circumscribed by the tube 3. The carbid-chamber has a close-fitting jacket or tube 5 surrounding it on the outside, open at the bottom, but hermetically inclosed at the top, which rests on the capscrew 6 and which can be lifted off. The capscrew 6 can then be removed and calcium carbid introduced through the opening thus created into the carbid-chamber. The bottom of the carbid-chamber is shaped in the form of an inverted bell 7, which reduces it to a convenient size for discharging the car- .bid into the water.

8 is the generator-tank, located underneath the gasometer, with which it forms one piece or body. The top of the generator-tank is formed of a conical dome 9, near the summit of which rises another cone 10, truncated near the top, where it is hermetically fas= tened to the outer edge of the bottom of the carbid-chamber 4. The inverted-bell-shaped bottom of the carbid-chamber, with its opening, projects downward into the hollow inside of the cone 10. A bridge 9 is made in the dome 9 for providing a convenient passage-way for the various pipes appertaining to the machine.

11 is the valve-plug for feeding the carbid into the generator-tank 8, which presses when closed against its seat formed at the opening at the bottom of the carbid-chamber. The upper surface of the valve-plug, which comes into contact with the carbid in the chamber 4, is convex in form, and from it projects upward into the chamber two or more pointed pins 12, smooth on their outside surfaces except those parts which face each other, where they each are serrated, as shown on drawing Fig; 4. y

13 is a rod fastened at the top to the carbidvalve plug 11 and attached at the bottom by a swivel-joint 14 to a lever 15, extending across the generator-tank and Working on a fulcrum 16, thus permitting a rotation of the rod 13 about its vertical axis. It has been proved by experience that finely divided carbid, which is the kind proposed to be used in this generator, is liable to cake in the carbidchamber, owing to the moisture which rises from the generator-tank, and it is desirable to loosen it at the moment the valve opens to deliver a portion into the Water. I propose to accomplish this object by causing a slight yet sufficient rotary motion to the valveplug 11 and the serrated pins 12, fastened therein. I do this by a slant or oblique guide 17, consisting of a flat plate containing a slit securely fastened laterally and held in close proximity to the rod 13. A pin 18, fastened into the rod, works loosely in theslit or guide in the fiat plate, as shown in Fig. 1, and every movement of the rod 13, whether upward or downward, is necessarily accompanied by a slight rotary motion communicated by the oblique guide sufficient to disintegrate the caked carbid in the carbid-chamber.

19 is a bent rod connected to the rod by a clamp-joint 20. This rod hangs vertically from the joint 20 downward to an opening 21 in the side of the generator-tank, through which it passes by a bend, whence it is carried upward on the outside by another bend to a point a little above the level of the gasometer-casing, where it is again bent inward at the point 22 toward the bell 2.

23 is a projecting yoke fastened to the bell of the gasometer, which comes into contact with the bent rod 19 when the gasometer lowers and thereupon opens the carbid-val-ve 11 and holds it open until sufficient gas is generated to raise the gasometer again and release the rod from its pressure. The weight of the valve 11 and all its connecting-rods is supported by the weight 24, fastened to the lever 25, working in a swinging fulcrum 26 and connected to the rod 19 by the clampjoint 27.

28 is a sealing-receptacle connected with the generator-tank by the opening 21 to enable the rod 19 to communicate between the inside and the outside of the generator without permitting the escape of gas.

29 is the gas-pipe leading from the generator-tank to the gasometer.

30 is a valve for opening and closing the gas-pipe 29. This valve consists of a cap of larger diameter than the gas-pipe, to which it may be lowered until it rests over the end of the pipe. The effect of preventing the passage of gas is produced by the creating of a water seal between the cap and the gaspipe, as shown in drawing Fig. 6. This gaspipe 29 is also the medium by which water may be introduced into the generator-tank below, the cap-valve 30 being so arranged that water can pass through the pipe at all times, no matter whether the cap-valve be open or shut. To accomplish this, two or more projections 31 of equal height extend upward from the upper end of the pipe, so that when the cap is lowered it rests on the upper extremities of these projections and not on the end of the pipe. Thus water can at all times pass between the projections and flow down the pipe, while at the same time when the cap is lowered the gas in the gasometer cannot pass downward into the generator-tank. When it is desired to charge the generator-tank with water, it is likewise necessary to provide an outlet for the common air which it contains without driving it into the gasometer. For this purpose a pipe 32, having a plug-cock valve 33, is provided. This pipe opens into the generator-tank at 32 and communicates with the open air through its connection with another pipe, which will be briefly referred to hereinafter. In the handle 34 of the plug-cock 33 the bent end of a rod 35 is loosely connected. (See Fig. 7.) This is effected by boring a hole through the handle and inserting the bent end of the rod through the hole and hammering a head onto the rod, so thatit will turn loosely. This rod 35 communicates with the cap-valve 3O inside the gasometer and operates it. It operates it in such a manner that it renders it impossible for a dangerous pressure of gas to accumulate either in the generator or the gasometer. This security is assured by the fact that when the cap-valve 30 inside the gasometer is closed the plug-cock 33 outside is open and when the cap-valve 30 is open the plug-cock 33 is closed. At all times when the plug-cock 33 isclosedand the generator is working a dangerous pressure of gas is impossible in the gasometer,owing to the existence of the reliefpipe 36, into which gas can escape through the small holes 37 in the concentric tube 38 inside the gasometer. It is the relief-pipe 36 on the. outside of the gasometer that the airpipe 32 connects with, and it is therefore assured that whether the cap-valve 3O inside is open or closed gas can always escape by either one or the other of the pipes 32 or 36 into the open air. \Vhen the cap-valve 30 is closed, it can escape directly from the generator through the pipe 32 without passing through the gasometer, and when it is open and the gasometer full of gas it can escape by the relief-pipe. The cap-valve 30 is not fastened to the rod 35, but merely rests in the middle on the end of it, closing down by its own gravity when the rod is lowered. To secure the rod from lateral movement, a tube 39 is fastened to the crown of the cap-valve 30 inside, into which the end of the rod isinserted loosely. The rod 35 reaches from the plugcock 33, passes through the sealing-receptacle 28 and the opening 21 by proper bends to the inside of the generator-tank, whence it extends upward through the gas-pipe 29 to the cap-valve 30. To insure the stability of the IIO cap-valve 30 and its proper adjustment over the end of the gas-pipe, a jacket-tube 40, open at both ends, surrounds the gas-pipe loosely, which is fastened to the cap-valve at the proper distance by strips 41, firmly soldered to both. Thus thejacket-tube 40 is suspended by the strips 41 from the cap-valve 30 and rises and falls with it on the opening and closing of the gas passage-way. Afixed pin 19 (see Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10) is also fastened to the handle 34 of the plug-cock 33 in the open air-pipe 32 for throwing the rod 19 away from the yoke 23. This movement throws the carbid-valve out of action, closed, simultaneously with the closing of the gas-valve 30 inside the gasometer and the opening of the air-pipe 32 into the generator-tank. Thus the turning of the plug-cock accomplishes three things simultaneously. It closes the gas-valve 30, it opens the air-valve 33, and it throws the carbid-valve 11 out of action.

42 is the gas-delivery pipe for delivering the gas from the gasometer for consumption. 43 and 44 are two plugs, one in the reliefpipe 36 and the other in the deliverypipe 42,

for cleaning purposes.

45 is a drip-box to receive the drippings of water from the relief-pipe and the deliverypipe.

46 is the mud-valve to the generator-tank when turned down sidewise into ahorizontal position. It also serves the purpose of an overflow when in the position shown on drawing Fig. 2 for indicating the proper level of the water in the generator-tank.

Having thus described the nature of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas generatorin combination with a Water-tank and a gasometer, the carbid chamber, the carbid 1 valve and the rod carrying it, the oblique guide-plate containing a longitudinal slot in which a pin works loosely, said pin being fastened to the carbid-valve rod for giving a rotary motion to the valve, the serrated pins fixed near the periphery on the upper side of the carbidvalve so that when the valve is being opened for the discharge of carbid, the said serrated pins will perform rotative and vertical, or curved helical motions for the purpose of loosening the carbid in the carbid-chamber substantially as shown and described.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator in combination with a water-tank and a gasometer, the carbid-chamber, the convex valve and the rod carrying it, the oblique guide-plate, the pin fastened into the carbid-valve rod and working loosely in the guide-plate for giving a rotary motion to the valve when discharging carbid from the carbid-chamber substantially as shown.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator in combination with a water-tank and a gasometer, the valve controlling the gaspipe leading from the generator-tank to the gasometer, said valve consisting of a hollow cap containing a small tube inside in which the valverod works loosely, the projections upward from the end of the gas-pipe, and the strips connecting said cap to an open tube or jacket surrounding the gas-pipe for securing the proper position and adjustment of said cap whereby when said cap lowers over the open end of the gas-pipe a water seal is created between said cap and the gas-pipe preventing the passage of gas but admitting the passage of water, the plug-cock valve in the open air-pipe on the outside of the gasometer communicating with the said cap-valve of the gas-pipe in the inside of the gasometer so that when the plug-cock on the outside is closed the cap-valve in the inside is open and when the plug-cock is open the cap-valve is closed, the rod partly within and partly Without the gas-generator communicating between the said plug-cock on the outside and the said cap-valve in the inside and operating the latter, the carbid-valve and the rod carrying it, the lever 15 inside the generator carrying the rod, the yoke 23 fastened to the bell of the gasometer, the carbid-valve rod partly within and partly without the generator connected to the lever 15 and communicating with the yoke 23, a pin fastened to the plugcock handle and projectingbehind the car bid-valve rod on the outside of the generator for pressing said carbid-valve rod beyond the reach of the yoke thereby throwing said carbid-valve out of action, in a closed position, simultaneously with the closing of the gas-valve inside the gasometer and the opening of the air-pipe into the generatortank substantially as shown and described.

ISAAC LEONARD HARRIS.

Witnesses:

VINTON HAWKINS, S. J. FORD. 

